


Let She Who Has Empathy...

by Diary



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bechdel Test Pass, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Bottle Episode Fic, Conversations, Eavesdropping, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Female Anti-Hero, Female Friendship, Female-Centric, Interspecies, Interspecies Friendship, Introspection, Love, Loyalty, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Morally Ambiguous Character, POV Hermione Granger, Past Lavender Brown/Ron Weasley - Freeform, Past Relationship(s), Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Self-Reflection, St Mungo's Hospital, Werewolf Lavender Brown
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2017-09-07
Packaged: 2018-12-25 02:29:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12026208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diary/pseuds/Diary
Summary: After the battle, overhearing a conversation between Lavender and Marietta forces Hermione to start to realise some uncomfortable truths. Complete.





	Let She Who Has Empathy...

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Harry Potter.

After finally finding out Lavender’s favourite flowers (predictably, Ron had no idea what his ex-girlfriend might like), Hermione takes them to St Mungo’s and is just about to pull the curtain back when she hears, “How did you manage to live with yourself when Hermione disfigured you?”

Marietta’s voice answers, and Hermione lets out a disgusted sigh.

The important people understand why she did what she did, but some people insist on refusing to see how what she did could have been vital to saving lives, and perhaps, even was. Pansy Parkinson, of all people, charged her with hypocrisy.

Aside from her astonishment a twit like Lavender would use the word ‘disfigured’, It’s no surprise Ron’s ex-girlfriend would try to feel better by-

“You’re very brave, Lavender. You fought, you almost died, but you’re still here. Alive.”

Hermione feels a pang of self-shame. This is true, and her thoughts, jealously, and irritation shouldn’t be rearing up right now of all times.

“You said yourself, the healers said most of the scars could be removed. And things are getting better for werewolves all the time. If there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.”

She sounds sincere, and Hermione- she’s always thought of Marietta as nothing but a traitor only looking out for her own self. The idea Marietta might be truly loyal to other people despite her disloyalty to Harry, that she might show genuine kindness to others, these things are possibilities Hermione never stopped to consider but knows she should have.

“I wish the one who did this to me was still alive,” Lavender’s bitter, teary voice says. “I wish he knew I was still alive. I want him to be in Azakban, rotting in a cell, and knowing, even with being a werewolf, now, I’m nothing like him. I never will be. I’m so much better, and nothing he did could take that way.”

“I know,” Marietta softly says.

Taking a chance, Hermione peeks through the curtain and sees Marietta is holding one of Lavender’s hands in both of hers.

“This isn’t about me, but when Granger did- Cho’s a large part of what kept me going. Um- look, if you ever feel like hurting yourself or worse, just find me or someone else you trust. It’s not wrong to feel that, but please, don’t do it.”

“Did you ever?”

Hermione stands stock-still, and the answer seems to take forever to come.

“No. I thought about it a few times, but like I said, I had Cho. I went to muggle school before Hogwarts, and we learned about- well, there’ve been times in history when certain people have been marked with tattoos and the like as a way of identification. I eventually started to look at it like: The Dark Lord is wrong, but Harry Potter isn’t our hope, and I’m one of the few who people can look to as proof. He hurt my friend, his friend hurt me for trying to save my mother’s job, and so- I’m working on something new to tell myself. I can admit I was wrong, but it still wasn’t right what she did. Even though there’s only a few scars left, what she did still stays with me.”

“I’m sorry none of us did anything. Some of us, we knew it was wrong, but- I can’t say why,” Lavender miserably says.

“Hey, it’s okay. What she did and what Greyback did, it’s two different things. I just want you to know, I’ve been hurt, too, and if you ever need someone to talk to, I might be able to understand. At least, I’ll listen.”

“Thank you.”

“People care about you, Lavender, and you’re right that you’re better than Greyback ever was. Never, ever forget that. I don’t know if I believe in God, but we know ghosts exist. There’s probably something besides them after death. If so, I imagine he’s getting his. And maybe, someday, after you’re old and die peacefully in your sleep, if you want to, maybe, you’ll be able to see him.”

Lavender gives a tearful laugh. “You know, you’re the first person who’s come in here who hasn’t flinched and stared or tried not to stare.”

“If your Parvati is anything like my Cho, she’ll be the second. Would have been the first if it hadn’t been for her grandmother having that stroke. I know, if that hadn’t happened, she and Padma would have stayed. Did the healers tell you that she’s been sleeping in here whilst you were in your healing coma?”

“Yeah,” Lavender answers. “I can’t believe she slept on the floor for three days!”

“You have no idea how swapped they’ve been,” Marietta gently tells her. “She didn’t want to risk hurting you by squeezing into the bed, and once they realised, they brought another cot in for her. But of course, she did. Werewolf or not, scarring or not, you’re her best friend, and she’s yours.”

It’s time to leave, Hermione realises.

She’s already heard too much of this than she should have. She can give the flowers to Lavender some other day.

She can think about Marietta and her rapidly changing feelings towards Marietta and what she did to Marietta some other day, too.


End file.
